Occupational therapy and physiotherapy students' communicative and collaborative learning in an interprofessional virtual setting

Background: Interprofessional learning activities can contribute to preparing students to function in health care teams. Although the importance of communication is acknowledged, there is still a lack of understanding about how students learn to communicate interprofessionally. Aim: To explore occupational therapist and physiotherapist students learning of skills in interprofessional communication by studying the students' communication while working together with a virtual patient. Material and methods: The students carried out a virtual patient encounter in pairs of two, using one computer per student, sitting side by side. The students' actions and conversations were recorded as video films, the oral communication was transcribed and analysed using qualitative content analysis. Results: The students created a social learning environment by posing questions, acknowledging each other and clarifying their professional perspective using familiar professional concepts. Comparing their professional views, students related their peers' statements to their own. Departing from their own profession and using the created open environment, the students' communication led to an interprofessional meaning-making process, with students aiming to understand each other. Conclusions and significance: A reciprocal learning situation was created when students worked together in a virtual setting. Communicating and making shared decisions about a patient can facilitate learning how to communicate interprofessionally and improve students' understanding of their own profession.